1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle, for selecting each electrical instrument of a plurality of electrical instruments connected to a network (bus) by an operation switch and operating the selected electrical instrument.
2. Description of the Background Art
Audio instruments such as a cassette tape deck, a CD player, and a radio are-mounted as electrical instruments on a vehicle such as an automobile, and a desirable audio instrument is selected from these audio instruments by an operation switch to operate the selected audio instrument.
As a conventional operation switch of this type, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, it is known that one function (e.g., a CD) is allocated to one switch 101.
A plurality of functions may be allocated to one operation switch. For example, to an operation switch 105 constituted by a seesaw switch shown in FIG. 2, the functions of TUNE, TRACK, and FFxc2x7REW are allocated. In the example shown in FIG. 3, push switches 106 to 109 and a display 110 are combined to each other.
A direction key 111 constituted by a joy stick is used to operate a navigation system.
These switches are generally laid out in 1.5 DIN to 2 DIN. The specific functions are allocated to the switches, respectively.
In addition, when the switch 101 to which one function is allocated as shown in FIG. 1 is used to operate the instruments such as an AM.FM (RADIO), a TAPE, a CD, and a TV, four switches 113a to 113d must be arranged corresponding to the four instruments, respectively, and operation of a target instrument is performed by selecting a corresponding switch of the four switches 113a to 113d. 
However, when a conventional instrument is multi-functional depending on the specification of the instrument, the number of switches increases. For this reason, the operation of the instrument is disadvantageously complex. With rapid development of an information-oriented society, a device whose function is not limited and which can cope with networks and has high extendability is demanded.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle, which can cope with the extendability of a network without respectively arranging selection switches for electrical instruments and which can improve the operability of a selected electrical instrument.
In order to achieve the above object, there is provided an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle, the apparatus including: display means for displaying names of a plurality of electrical instruments connected to a bus on a screen; mode selection means for selecting one of the names of the plurality of electrical instruments displayed on the screen of the display means; display control means for selectively displaying the name on the screen selected by the mode selection means; and instrument operation means for operating an electrical instrument corresponding to the name on the screen selected by the mode selection means.
According to the present invention, when the names of a plurality of electrical instruments connected to a bus are displayed on the screen of the display means, and one of the names of the plurality of electrical instruments displayed on the screen of the display means is selected by the mode selection means, the display control means selectively displays the selected name on the screen selected by the mode selection means. Accordingly, the selected name can be easily recognized, and the names of the plurality of electrical instruments can be selected by one mode selection means. Therefore, a selection switch need not be formed in each of the electrical instruments, and the apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle can cope with the extendability of a network. An electrical instrument corresponding to the name on the screen selected by the mode selection means can be operated by the instrument operation means.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the instrument operation means is a direction key for designating a direction, and the direction key includes: a plurality of printed-character units on which at least one operation function for each electrical instrument is printed to be allocated; and a plurality of illumination units provided for the plurality of printed-character units, each illumination unit being arranged opposite to a corresponding printed-character unit and illuminating the corresponding printed-character unit.
According to this aspect, since the plurality of illumination units formed on the direction key illuminate the plurality of printed-character units formed on the direction key, the plurality of printed-character units are bright. The plurality of printed-character units are obtained by printing the operation functions of the electrical instruments, and the operation functions of the electrical instruments are allocated. Accordingly, one direction key is multi-functional so that a small number of operation switches are required.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle further includes illumination control means for, when a name of an electrical instrument is selected by the mode selection means, operating an illumination unit to illuminate a corresponding printed-character unit, of the plurality of printed-character units, on which an operation function for the electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name is printed.
According to this aspect, when the name of the electrical instrument is selected by the mode selection means, the illumination control means operates an illumination unit to illuminate a corresponding printed-character unit, of the plurality of printed-character units, on which an operation function for the electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name is printed. Therefore, only the printed-character unit is bright, and thus the electrical instrument can be easily operated.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, each printed-character unit includes: a white print unit subjected to white printing; a color print unit stacked on an upper portion of the white print unit and subjected to color printing; and a pattern print unit stacked on the upper portion of the color print unit and having a pattern obtained by black-silk printing.
According to this aspect, each printed-character unit is constituted by a white print unit subjected to white printing, a color print unit stacked on an upper portion of the white print unit and subjected to color printing, and a pattern print unit stacked on the color print unit and having a pattern formed by black-silk printing. Accordingly, when the printed-character unit is not illuminated, it is rarely recognized that characters are printed. Therefore, the visibility of the printed-characters becomes preferable.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the direction key includes: a switch pad on which the plurality of printed-character units are formed; a plurality of light-guide units, arranged below the switch pad and respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, each light-guide unit guiding light from a corresponding illumination unit to a corresponding printed-character unit; a plurality of switches, arranged below the switch pad and respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, and when one of the plurality of printed-character units illuminated by the plurality of illumination units is pressed, a switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit being turned on; and a substrate on which the plurality of switches, the plurality of illumination units, and the plurality of light-guide units are integrally packaged.
According to this aspect, since the plurality of light-guide units respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units guide light from the plurality of illumination units to the plurality of printed-character units, the printed-character units are bright. In addition, when a printed-character unit illuminated by an illumination unit is pressed, a switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit is turned on. Accordingly, a signal is output from the switch to the substrate.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the direction key includes: a switch pad on which the plurality of printed-character units and a plurality of light-guide units respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, each light-guide unit guiding light from a corresponding illumination unit to a corresponding printed-character unit; a plurality of switches, arranged below the switch pad and respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, and when one of the plurality of printed-character units illuminated by the plurality of illumination units is pressed, a switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit being turned on; a first substrate on which the plurality of switches are packaged; and a second substrate on which the plurality of illumination units are packaged, wherein there is formed, on the switch pad, a substrate holding unit for holding the second substrate on which the plurality of illumination units are packaged, to keep the second substrate tightly contacting with the plurality of light-guide units formed on the switch pad.
According to this aspect, since the plurality of light-guide units respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units guide the light from the plurality of illumination units to the plurality of printed-character units, the printed-character units are bright. When the printed-character unit illuminated by the illumination unit is pressed, the switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit is turned on. Accordingly, a signal from the switch is output to the first substrate. In addition, since there is formed, on the switch pad, a substrate holding unit for holding the second substrate on which the plurality of illumination units are packaged, to keep the second substrate tightly contacting with the plurality of light-guide units formed on the switch pad, the light-guide units and the second substrate are tightly connected to each other by the substrate holding unit. For this reason, even if the switch pad is operated to move, no light leaks from the illumination units because the switch pad and the second substrate move together with each other.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the direction key includes: a switch pad on which the plurality of printed-character units and a plurality of light-guide units respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, each light-guide unit guiding light from a corresponding illumination unit to a corresponding printed-character unit; a second substrate having the plurality of illumination units packaged on a surface thereof and having a plurality of switches packaged on another surface thereof, arranged below the switch pad and respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units, and when one of the plurality of printed-character units illuminated by the plurality of illumination units is pressed, a switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit being turned on; and a first substrate with which the plurality of switches are brought into contact, wherein there is formed, on the switch pad, a substrate holding unit for holding the second substrate on which the plurality of illumination units and the plurality of switches are packaged, to keep the second substrate tightly contacting with the plurality of light-guide units formed on the switch pad.
According to this aspect, since the plurality of light-guide units respectively formed for the plurality of printed-character units guide the light from the plurality of illumination units to the plurality of printed-character units, the printed-character units are bright. When the printed-character unit illuminated by the illumination unit is pressed, the switch corresponding to the pressed printed-character unit is turned on. Accordingly, a signal from the switch is output to the first substrate. In addition, since there is formed, on the switch pad, a substrate holding unit for holding the second substrate on which the plurality of illumination units are packaged, to keep the second substrate tightly contacting with the plurality of light-guide units formed on the switch pad, the light-guide units and the second substrate are tightly connected to each other by the substrate holding unit. For this reason, even if the switch pad is operated to move, no light leaks from the illumination units because the switch pad and the second substrate move together with each other. Furthermore, since the plurality of switches are packaged on the second substrate, a reduction in size can be achieved.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle further includes a printed-character display key for, when a name of an electrical instrument is selected by the mode selection means, performing designation for displaying, on the screen, printed-character contents of a printed-character unit, of the plurality of printed-character units, for printing an operation function of an electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name, wherein, when the printed-character key is pressed, the display control means displays, on the screen, the printed-character contents of the printed-character unit for printing the operation function of the electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name.
According to this aspect, when a name of an electrical instrument is selected by the mode selection means, the printed-character display key performs designation for displaying, on the screen, printed-character contents of a printed-character unit, of the plurality printed-character units, for printing the operation function of the electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name. At the time, the display control means displays, on the screen, the printed-character contents of the printed-character unit for printing the operation function of the electrical instrument corresponding to the selected name. Therefore, an operator can operate the electrical instrument while watching the printed-character contents, and operability can be improved.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of electrical instruments includes a plurality of audio/visual instruments and a plurality of information processing instruments, and the mode selection means includes: AV mode selection means for selecting one of names of the plurality of audio/visual instruments displayed on a screen of the display means; and information mode selection means for selecting one of names of the plurality of information processing instruments displayed on the screen of the display means.
According to this aspect, the AV mode selection means selects one of names of the plurality of audio/visual instruments displayed on a screen of the display means, and information mode selection means selects one of names of the plurality of information processing instruments displayed on the screen of the display means. Therefore, even when the electrical instruments increase in number, a time taken to select an electrical instrument can be shortened.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle further includes a first illumination unit for illuminating the AV mode selection means; a second illumination unit for illuminating the information mode selection means; and illumination control means for operating the first illumination unit when the AV mode selection means is operated and operating the second illumination unit when the information mode selection means is operated.
According to this aspect, since operated means out of the AV mode selection means and the information mode selection means is illuminated, an operator easily understands which instruments he/she can select of the audio/visual instruments and the information processing instruments.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for operating instruments for a vehicle further includes discrimination control means for detecting and discriminating the plurality of electrical instruments connected to the bus.
According to this aspect, since the discrimination control means can detect and discriminate the electrical instruments connected to the bus, even if an electrical instrument is additionally connected to the bus, the present invention can automatically cope with the additional electrical instrument.
The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.